1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof connector for making waterproof mutual contact regions of each of female terminals and the associated one of male terminals by interposing an elastic sealing member between a female connector housing and a male connector housing.
2. Description of Related Art
Waterproof connectors are known, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open Nos. Sho 61-179077 and Hei 2-18279.
The waterproof connector described in the above document, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 61-179077 is intended to obtain a so-called group-waterproof structure by surrounding the outer peripheral side of a plurality of terminals with seal lips of a sealing member. Accordingly, such a waterproof connector may cause problems if water permeates the sealing member, since all of the terminals are made conductive with each other, short circuit and electrolytic corrosion may result. The waterproof connector described in the above document, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 2-18279 is intended to obtain a so-called single electrode waterproof structure by individually sealing the outer peripheries of electrodes with seal lips. Accordingly, it is superior to the above waterproof connector having the group-waterproof structure in terms of its waterproof characteristic. However, this single electrode waterproof structure is problematic, since a plurality of the seal lips are in contact with each connector housing. Therefore, the total length of mutual contact regions of the seal lips and the connector housing becomes longer as compared with the group waterproof structure, so that the friction resistance between the seal lips and the connector housing is increased. As a result, in the single electrode waterproof type connector, it is required to apply a large load for connecting or separating a male connector to or from a female connector, reducing the operability of the waterproof connector. In particular, if a plurality of rows of seal lips are provided for each electrode for enhancing the waterproof characteristic, the above load must be further increased.